Environmental protesters paralysed central London yesterday after occupying five of its busiest bridges “in anger” at the lack of action on climate change.

At least 85 people were arrested for obstruction but the demonstrations remained largely peaceful even when the protesters occupied Parliament Square, blocked traffic in surrounding roads and dug holes to plant trees as “a symbol of life”.

“We closed Southwark, Waterloo, Westminster, Blackfriars and Lambeth bridges,” said the campaign group Extinction Rebellion, the organiser of the protest. “We don’t want to inconvenience people but we do need to draw attention to the cause. Our planet has 12 years to reverse the growth in greenhouse gases and avoid runaway climate change.”